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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23178592">i bloom (just for you)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/OmgPandi/pseuds/OmgPandi'>OmgPandi</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>(Is anyone really surprised?), (Maybe slow burn), Alternate Universe - Mythology, Arranged Marriage, Ferdinand von Aegir as Persephone, Hubert von Vestra as Hades, Inspired by Hades and Persephone (Ancient Greek Religion &amp; Lore), Living Together, M/M, Minor Dorothea Arnault/Petra Macneary, Minor Edelgard von Hresvelg/My Unit | Byleth, Minor Lorenz Hellman Gloucester/Claude von Riegan, Multi, Slow Burn</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 15:34:52</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>15,864</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23178592</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/OmgPandi/pseuds/OmgPandi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>(It’s said that the chill of the Underworld found its way into Hubert’s very being.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>Perhaps that’s not entirely true.)</i>
</p><p>--<br/>or, Hubert, Lord of the Underworld, is being ordered to find a suitable spouse by Rhea. He chooses the God of Spring, Ferdinand, who longs to leave his father's shadow and be free from his control.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ferdinand von Aegir/Hubert von Vestra, Minor or Background Relationship(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>79</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>245</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Look who's back at it again with those mythology-inspired Ferdibert fics again,,,, me,,, I would say 'oops' but lmao</p><p>Anyways!! Anyone that knows me knows how much I like Hades &amp; Persephone-inspired works, so I thought I'd finally give it a shot myself! Alternate take where Persephone (Ferdinand) goes willingly with Hades (Hubert), so there's 100% less kidnapping occurring!</p><p>Title taken from Troye Sivan's song, <a href="https://open.spotify.com/track/0oTyoTKEKMdF3rXcOLyEfN"> 'Bloom,' </a> which I was listening to a lot while planning (and writing) this AU out.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Byleth is sitting on his throne, looking down at him with a blank expression on her face.</p><p>Somehow, Hubert realized, this sets the tone for the rest of his day.</p><p>“Professor,” Hubert greeted, narrowing his eyes at the woman. “I must say, this is rather unexpected. To what do I owe the pleasure?”</p><p>As Lord of the Underworld, Hubert rarely receives visitors of the <i>living</i> variety. There are rare cases of humans venturing into his domain in hopes of rescuing their beloved’s soul from the depths of the Underworld, but aside from those fools most people avoid his realm like it’s the plague. Not that Hubert <i>minds</i> of course.</p><p>The gods, especially, don’t like coming to the Underworld. Hubert’s certain it’s because they don’t like being reminded of their own morality. Death didn’t discriminate against immortality; gods were just as easy to kill as mortals if you know what exactly to do. The only difference is that mortals seemed a bit braver about facing death--likely because they expected it--meanwhile gods coward away from it, denied the existence of death as though it was something found in stories.</p><p>Unfortunately for them, death comes for everyone in the end and Hubert would greet them as he sat on his throne of iron, perhaps allowing a sense of petty satisfaction run through him as those golden fools trembled before him.</p><p>“I’m afraid this isn’t a pleasure trip,” Byleth answered, face passive. “I have news from Lady Rhea.”</p><p>Hubert clicked his tongue, glaring at the woman. “Isn’t it a bit below your station to act as a messenger?”</p><p>“Claude is a bit busy at the moment, so I volunteered,” she said, not sounding put off by Hubert’s tone. “Not to mention, El asked me to.”</p><p>“Is that so?” Hubert said, voice softening. “And what was so important that Lady Edelgard asked you to personally come?”</p><p>Reaching underneath her wings, Byleth took out a scroll and uncurled it. Hubert expected the woman to stand for whatever official decree Rhea decided on, but--annoyingly enough--the woman remained seated on his throne.</p><p>Hubert observed the uncharacteristic tenseness of her wings. They seemed unsettled in a way that was uncharacteristic of the woman. He wondered if Byleth knew how much her wings gave away her emotions despite the careful blankness of her expression.</p><p>Clearing her throat, Byleth began, “By order of Lady Rhea, Queen of the Heavens and Ruler of the Skies, you--Hubert, Lord of the Underworld--are being ordered to find a suitable spouse-”</p><p>“Pardon me, but did you just say ‘suitable spouse’?!” Hubert growled, snatching the paper out of Byleth’s hand. He didn’t care if it seemed rude to his former teacher, Hubert needed to see with his own eyes what that madwoman was trying to decide for him. “-‘in hopes that the bridge between Mt. Olympus and the Underworld will be mended through a union between both realms’?! Is she mad? Rhea cannot-”</p><p>“It is within Lady Rhea’s purview as Queen of Mt. Olympus,” Byleth interrupted. Despite the blank look on her face, Hubert could hear the mild regret coloring her tone. “Believe me Hubert when I say I opposed this idea as well. Unfortunately, Lady Rhea was quite set on it.”</p><p>“What ‘mending’ needs to be done anyways?” Hubert asked, irritation clear. “Going as far as suggesting an <i>arranged marriage</i>?”</p><p>“There are a number of gods that fear you’re building an army of undead souls,” Byleth answered, rolling her eyes at the sentiment. “With the increase in deaths lately, I suppose enough people are worried to make Lady Rhea resort to something like this.” A pause. Byleth tilted her head then, considering something before continuing, “Not to mention, I just think she doesn’t like you.”</p><p>“I could have told you that,” Hubert murmured. “According to her, I’m too ‘insubordinate’ for her liking.”</p><p>Byleth shrugged. “You have had a tendency to disobey her orders as of late.”</p><p>“Because she’s slowly going mad as the centuries have gone by,” Hubert snapped, ignoring the glare Byleth gave him at the ‘mad’ comment. “I’m quite certain she blames me for the Progenitor God’s death despite the goddess being dead long before I was even born, yes?”</p><p>“I see, Hubert,” Byleth responded, looking guilty for whatever reason Hubert couldn’t fathom. “We all have different ways of grieving Hubert. I don’t think she blames you personally.”</p><p>“To many people--mortal and immortal--I’m the embodiment of death,” Hubert explained. “I’m quite certain she resents me for this reason alone. The walking reminder of death’s presence in the world.”</p><p>“So melodramatic,” Byleth said teasingly. “Anyways, this news was why El sent me. Lady Rhea was going to have Claude deliver the news, but El figured it would be better if you heard it from someone you actually know.”</p><p>Inwardly, Hubert felt grateful for Lady Edelgard's quick and considerate thinking. While Claude wasn’t an annoyance, he had a feeling the man might tease him over the news. He could already hear the man greeting him with a ‘Hey Gloombert!’ when he arrived with the news.</p><p>“So,” Hubert said plainly. “What now? Will I be meeting my future spouse sometime soon on Mt. Olympus?” The bitterness was clear in his voice.</p><p>“Actually no,” Byleth answered, situating herself in a more comfortable position. “The choice is yours, but if you take too long then Lady Rhea will choose a spouse for you.”</p><p>Raising one of his brows, Hubert narrowed his eyes down at the woman. “Why?”</p><p>“To foster good relations Hubert,” Byleth answered easily, amusement coloring her tone. “Didn’t you read her letter? That’s the whole point of this union, after all.”</p><p>“This hardly feels like a choice… it’s more of a thinly veiled threat.”</p><p>“Maybe,” Byleth conceded, resting her hand under her chin. “But a choice is a choice, Hubert.” Pausing for a moment, Byleth’s gaze softened. “For what it’s worth, I am sorry that she’s making you do this. Just… don’t do anything too drastic. El would be upset if Lady Rhea decided that your insubordination outweighed your usefulness.”</p><p>Standing up and spreading her wings, Byleth gave a small bow to Hubert before flying away, leaving the man standing in front of his throne, growling under his breath.</p><p>“The absolute nerve,” Hubert murmured, uncurling the scroll as he sat down on his throne. “The audacity of that madwoman to believe she can order <i>me</i> around like this…”</p><p>Still though, as much as Hubert hated to admit it, Byleth brought up a significant point. He’s aware of his own tense relationship with Rhea. Hubert wasn’t lying when he said that the woman resented him for his very existence. Despite the Progenitor God’s death being caused by his predecessor, it seemed Rhea decided to condemn him as well by some vague sense of association.</p><p>It seemed, however, that Rhea’s anger towards him increased when he attached himself to Lady Edelgard. With her ascension, there were oracles in the mortal realm that whispered a prophecy about her overthrowing Rhea and ushering both the mortal and immortal realms into a new era of peace.</p><p>Hubert hadn’t attached himself to Lady Edelgard because of some prophecy. No, he respected the petite woman once it became clear she was the type of leader he would follow until the end of their days--her drive, charisma, and level-headedness were all commendable qualities in the leader. Her ideas were revolutionary as well, meant to tear down the existing structure and extinguish the corruption permeating their realm that Rhea was unwilling to look into.</p><p>Hubert wanted to help Lady Edelgard by any means necessary and unfortunately he couldn’t do that if he was (ironically) dead and replaced by someone else of Rhea’s choosing. One less ally for Lady Edelgard wasn’t an option.</p><p>“Very well then” Hubert muttered to himself, pinching the bridge of his nose. “I’ll play this little game of hers…”</p><p>Rhea was likely expecting Hubert to be stubborn and refuse the order, sticking him with some airheaded nymph or vain goddess as a ‘suitable’ choice. No, Hubert already had an idea of who he would take on as a spouse.</p><p>In some ways, this could be seen as a blessing in disguise.</p><p><i>‘Ever since that day…’</i> Hubert thought, recounting the cool, crisp night air and a beautiful figure standing before him underneath the pale moonlight.</p><p>No, Hubert knew exactly who he wanted. It was only a matter of convincing the other god to agree to an engagement.</p><p>Looking around his realm, Hubert watched as the precious minerals sparkled in the pale flames illuminating the halls. No doubt one of the stones embedded in the rock would make a good engagement ring stone, it was only a matter of choosing the perfect one. Perhaps something orange to match those long, amber locks…</p><p>Shaking his head, Hubert moved out of his seat and ascended down the steps of his throne to go deeper into his realm. He would attend to his duties first before thinking deeper about how to approach this situation. The possibility of rejection was always present, even if the tiny part of him--hopeful and annoyingly glad--wanted to believe the god of spring would agree to spending the rest of his days in the dark, dank Underworld.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Tea, gossip, and an important discussion.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>So I've actually had chapter 2 written since Saturday but I'm trying to make these weekly updates! Updating on Thursdays is the plan right now, so let's see how that goes!</p><p>Thank you btw for all of the nice comments from last week! Whether it was here or in the ferdibert discord server! You all are great &lt;3</p><p>Now here's a look at how Ferdinand is doing!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Ah, Ferdinand!” A voice called out, waving him over frantically. “There you are! I have been waiting for you!”</p><p>“Forgive me Lorenz,” Ferdinand said, walking over and taking his seat quickly. “I got sidetracked while exploring the southern gardens. I did not keep you waiting too long, did I?”</p><p>Lorenz waved the concern away, pouring tea into Ferdinand’s cup. “No need to worry, my dear friend. It was not too long of a wait.” Grabbing his own cup, Lorenz took a sip and sighed happily. “Tell me, what caught your attention today? An exotic new flower? Listening to the tales of one of the older trees on the palace grounds?”</p><p>Ferdinand laughed, reaching over to teasingly shove Lorenz. “You know I cannot hear the thoughts of plants, Lorenz!” Ferdinand answered, playfully rolling his eyes at the thought. “If you must know, I believe a new species of flowers is growing in the southern gardens. I know Petra recently brought something back from her home, so perhaps that is where they are from…” Ferdinand explained, thinking out-loud.</p><p>Lorenz hummed. “It sounds like another lovely addition has been added to the gardens then!” Sighing wistfully, Lorenz smiled as he looked out to the gardens before him. “With your expert touch, I am certain whatever flowers Petra brought back will be in safe hands.”</p><p>“You flatter me.”</p><p>“Is it flattery if it is the truth?”</p><p>Ferdinand could feel the heat creeping up on his face, which only got worse when he heard Lorenz give a quiet chuckle, clearly not missing the pink coloring his face.</p><p>“Anyways, how have you been, my friend?” Ferdinand asked, hoping to steer Lorenz away from teasing him further. “Has there been anything exciting happening for you lately?”</p><p>Lorenz sighed, long and dramatic. “I am afraid not much has happened with me lately,” Lorenz answered, messing with his finger nails. “My followers and I recently discovered a new wine flavor though, so expect to try that during the next large gathering.”</p><p>“I am looking forward to it!” And he meant it. Tea would always be his favorite drink, but Ferdinand did enjoy a nice glass of wine, especially if it was personally made by Lorenz.</p><p>“It is quite the sweet flavor, so it should be to your taste,” Lorenz stated, flipping his hair over his shoulder. “But aside from that, my life has been rather dull lately. I recently snuck down to visit Athens, hoping there would be a new play to watch, but alas! There was nothing new.”</p><p>Ferdinand felt his smile falter for a moment. “At least you are allowed to leave…” Ferdinand muttered, hoping the bitterness wasn’t too evident.</p><p>Judging by the frown on his friend’s face, he didn’t do a good job of keeping it out of his tone. “Is he still being stubborn?” Lorenz asked, reaching across the table to grab Ferdinand’s hand.</p><p>“You know how my father is,” Ferdinand stated, rubbing his thumb across the back of Lorenz’s hand. “He dislikes it when I am out of his sight for too long.” He paused, mulling something over. “Some people call it protectiveness, but I find it quite stifulling.”</p><p>“Ugh, believe me I know,” Lorenz groaned. “My father is quite similar. It hardly surprises me that our parents get along.” He grumbled, taking another sip of his tea.</p><p>“Indeed,” Ferdinand sighed, rolling his eyes. “It is just… irritating.”</p><p>Lorenz nodded, sympathy clear. “Perhaps he will have a change of heart soon.”</p><p>“Doubtful.” The day his father decided to let Ferdinand go off on his own would be the day the man suddenly had a full head of hair again.</p><p>Ferdinand could understand the protectiveness when he was younger, a fledgling child that was naive to the world. Part of that came from his mother’s own sheltering before Father came and took him away, but Ferdinand was no longer a child! He was a grown man and could look after himself now! There was no need for his father to micro-manage every facet of his life now.</p><p>“I heard some interesting news though!” Lorenz exclaimed, cheerfulness coloring his tone. “I heard that Lady Rhea is beginning to arrange some marriages.”</p><p>“Oh? Why is that?” Ferdinand asked. As far as he knew, arranged marriages weren’t common among the gods--let alone an <i>actual</i> marriage that lasted long. Most gods tended to stay as lovers with only a select few enjoying the comforts of marriage for long periods of time. Seteth, the god and ruler of the sea, was one of those select few but he didn’t think their marriage was arranged by anyone.</p><p>Lorenz shrugged, not entirely sure. “All I know is that it’s for the Lord of the Underworld,” Lorenz admitted. “Apparently Claude was supposed to deliver a message to him, but Lady Byleth decided to do it for him instead.”</p><p>“Interesting…” Ferdinand murmured. “The Lord of the Underworld…”</p><p>The Lord of the Underworld was a shadow, unseen by most denizens of Mt. Olympus and the immortal realm. Ferdinand could not recall if he had ever seen the man either, not even at the large gathering held for his induction into the pantheon. He was practically a ghost among their kind, preferring to stay in his castle in the Underworld.</p><p>“Claude says he is quite depressing to be around,” Lorenz continued. “I heard Lady Edelgard enjoys his presence though, but most gods tend to avoid his presence.”</p><p>“Because he is depressing to be around…?”</p><p>“Because he’s <i>Lord of the Underworld</i>,” Lorenz emphasized, as if that somehow made a difference. “He is the embodiment of death! He’s probably amassing an army of undead souls to attack Mt. Olympus!”</p><p>Ferdinand had a similar rumor going around the palace grounds, but given that it started with Hilda, Ferdinand wasn’t exactly sure if it was believable or not. He was also quite sure the souls of the dead weren’t allowed to leave the Underworld, so how would that work?</p><p>“Lady Rhea is making a good choice,” Lorenz stated, nodding his head. “He needs to marry someone from Mt. Olympus otherwise it will be seen as him disobeying a direct order from her.”</p><p>“Did you hear who he is supposed to marry?” Ferdinand asked, adding a tiny bit more sugar to his tea and taking a sip.</p><p>“Unfortunately I have no clue as to who the poor soul is,” Lorenz answered, pouting a bit. Ferdinand chuckled at the display. Lorenz liked to know every bit of gossip on Mt. Olympus, so Ferdinand had no doubt his friend was a little bit peeved at not knowing the identity of the future bride or groom.</p><p>“A shame,” Ferdinand said, setting his cup down. “I would have offered to personally put the bouquet together for whoever the person is.”</p><p>“Ah a lovely gift from the god of spring himself!” Lorenz praised. “Do be sure to keep that offer open when it is time for my wedding.”</p><p>“Of course!”</p><p>The conversation continued on a lighter note from there, talking about Lorenz’ upcoming wedding to Claude. It was only a few months away, but the pair couldn’t wait a moment longer. While Lorenz’s father seemed to oppose the marriage, citing that his son shouldn’t be marrying a lowly <i>messenger</i> god--one with a mysterious past at that, Claude’s parents were much kinder from what Ferdinand had heard. He was happy to hear that someone outside of their group of friends supported the marriage.</p><p>They were just about to talk about the latest trends happening in the mortal realm when the pair were interrupted by a familiar, green-haired nymph.</p><p>“Greetings Ferdinand, Lorenz!” Flayn curtsied, causing the pair to bow back. “Forgive me for my intrusion, but Lady Rhea is asking for your presence Ferdinand. She wishes to speak with you about something important.”</p><p>“Of course,” Ferdinand said, getting up from his seat, but not before shooting a confused look in Lorenz’s direction. He felt mildly relieved to see that Lorenz was just as confused as he was about this abrupt summoning. “We will have to pick this up another time.”</p><p>“Y-Yes of course,” Lorenz agreed, clearing his throat. “I will see you another time, my dear friend. May you have a pleasant day as well, Lady Flayn.”</p><p>Flayn curtsied again, walking towards the direction of the palace with Ferdinand following closely behind her. Eventually, they left the openness of the palace grounds and entered the main building, their footsteps echoing against the marble flooring. Not a person was in sight as they walked down the long hallway together in silence.</p><p>Normally, Ferdinand enjoyed visiting the palace grounds on Mt. Olympus. The gardens were particularly lovely, especially since the flowers seemed to be in bloom all year round. It was the actual palace itself that Ferdinand found unsettling. It was beautifully built, made from the finest materials known to the gods, but the lack of people walking the halls on a daily basis made it eerily uncomfortable at times.</p><p>Once, there had been dozens of gods filling the rooms of the palace. That had changed, of course, with the Progenitor God’s death. The deaths of Sothis and many of her children had caused a sort of melancholy to blanket the palace. It was only during the large gatherings that the palace seemed at its livliest.</p><p>Now though it felt uncomfortably quiet.</p><p>Ferdinand was grateful when the pair arrived at the doors to Lady Rhea’s throne room, a relieved sigh escaping him. He flushed a little when he heard Flayn’s giggle in response.</p><p>“Lady Rhea,” Flayn called out, cracking open the large double doors. “I have brought Ferdinand with me.”</p><p>“Come in, dear,” Lady Rhea said. Her voice sounded as serene and calm as usual, causing Ferdinand’s shoulder to sag a little. Opening the doors, Flayn led them inside, stopping them before the steps to Lady Rhea’s magnificent throne. Standing there was also Ferdinand’s father, who looked rather annoyed judging by his tense body language. Lord Seteth, too, was standing at the top step, glaring down at his father for the obvious disrespect the man was showing.</p><p>If Lord Seteth’s presence wasn’t alarming enough, then Ferdinand found Lady Byleth’s cool gaze staring down at him even more so.</p><p>“I suppose you are wondering why I have called you here today,” Lady Rhea started, serenely smiling down at Ferdinand. Her eyes softened for a moment, taking in Ferdinand’s tenseness. “Fear not, you are not in trouble. Rather I have excellent news for you.”</p><p>“Oh?” His father questioned, uncrossing his arms. “What kind of ‘excellent news’ would that be, Lady Rhea?”</p><p>“I have a marriage offer for you son,” Lady Rhea answered, reaching over to take the scroll from Lord Seteth’s outstretched hand. Out of the corner of his eyes, he can see his father grinning but Ferdinand only felt coldness enter his veins.</p><p>He knows his father has been looking for a suitable spouse for him, hoping that Ferdinand would catch the attention of a powerful god or goddess. As a god of the harvest, Ferdinand’s father wasn’t high in the internal hierarchy of Mt. Olympus. Yes he had seniority, which got him respect from his peers and younger gods, but Ferdinand’s father was ambitious and wanted <i>more</i>.</p><p>If that meant using his only child as a bargaining chip to older, more powerful gods, then the god of the harvest was willing to do it.</p><p>Ferdinand, however, had hoped that it would mean he still had <i>time</i> before anyone would seriously consider his father’s offer. His immortal life had barely begun!</p><p>“If I might ask, who has offered my son their hand in marriage?” His father asked, voice shaking in excitement.</p><p>“The Lord of the Underworld,” Lady Rhea answered plainly as she turned to face Ferdinand. She missed his father’s eyes widening in complete shock, mouth hanging open. Smiling, she kept her attention on him. “I gave the Lord of the Underworld a choice: either he chooses his own spouse or I make the decision for him. It would seem that he has chosen you, child!”</p><p>Ferdinand gave a confused smile in response to Lady Rhea’s own joyful smile, unsure of how to respond to the sudden news.</p><p><i>‘The Lord of the Underworld chose me?’</i> He thought, trying to recount if the pair had ever met. He couldn’t think of a single moment where they had… </p><p>Unless…?</p><p>Ferdinand thought of that handsome man, dressed in dark garbs. His black hair seemed to blend into the darkness of the night, but Ferdinand recalled the way his golden-green eyes stood out in the pale moonlight. The color of his eyes had been lovely and Ferdinand could remember the way his body shivered when he saw how intense those eyes stared into him.</p><p>“Keep in mind, this decision is entirely up to you,” Lady Rhea’s voice snapped him out of his thoughts, making his attention return to her and her knowing gaze. “You are allowed to accept or refuse the offer.”</p><p>“Of course he refuses!” His father snapped, looking at Lady Rhea as though she’s lost her mind. “Why would anyone agree to-”</p><p>“May I think about it?” Ferdinand asked, interrupting his father’s rant. He could hear his father spluttering, caught off guard by Ferdinand’s interruption and interest. “This is… rather sudden is all and I would like a moment to think about it clearly.”</p><p>“Of course,” Lady Rhea said, a serene smile back in place. “Take as much time as you would like. Please let me know once you have made your decision.”</p><p>Taking her words as a dismissal, Ferdinand bowed lowly and made his way out of the room quickly. He could hear his father’s attempts at arguing against the proposal to Lady Rhea, but Ferdinand knew it was a pointless endeavor on his father’s part. </p><p>The decision was Ferdinand’s, regardless of whether or not his father thought he had a say in the matter. Now it was only a matter of making a decision that would impact him for the rest of his immortal life.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>A meeting under a gazebo.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Flashback chapter! I've been distracted by Animal Crossing New Horizons so I almost forgot to write this dajkdhakjs</p><p>Thank you to everyone who commented and left kudos btw!! It means a lot to me &lt;3 &lt;3</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The lights shimmered and danced across the room, illuminating the gold decor in its soft light. The chatter in the room was soft, everyone wanting to avoid disturbing the peace that seemed to overcome the room and its current inhabitants.</p><p>Needless to say, Hubert hated it.</p><p>“You know Hubie, if you keep that face up, it might freeze like that,” said a voice next to him.</p><p>“Dorothea,” Hubert greeted, turning to face the woman beside him. She was dressed in her usual maroon dress and gold bracelets, but if Hubert looked more closely, he could see a faint design painted on the back of Dorothea’s hand, reminiscent of one of Petra’s designs. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”</p><p>“It never ceases to amaze me how you can make something as simple as a greeting sound like a bad thing,” she said, playfulness twinkling in her eyes. “But I’m doing rather well. Petra and I will be on our way back to her home soon, so we thought it was best to attend the event before leaving.”</p><p>“You say that as if this was optional.”</p><p>“For all of us,” Dorothea winked, giving him a cheeky smile. “Poor Hubie, Lady Rhea does seem to have it out for you…”</p><p>Hubert grunted, deciding that he didn’t want to dignify that with a response. Dorothea, along with most of their compatriots, knew about Rhea’s illogical dislike (hatred, he would say, although Byleth seemed to disagree with him using that strong of a word) for him. Lady Edelgard found it worrisome when she found out, but Hubert had assured her that there was nothing to fear. Rhea was powerful, but she couldn’t act without some justification first.</p><p>“Although I’m curious about what this event is for…” Dorothea muttered, unbothered by Hubert’s silence. “As our resident shadow man, do you have any ideas?”</p><p>Hubert held back the urge to roll his eyes. “If the rumors are true, then we’re adding a new member to the pantheon,” he answered. “Apparently the god of the harvest has been busy dallying with mortal women.”</p><p>Dorothea scrunched her nose. “Oh <i>him</i>,” she said, as though speaking the other gods name was something putrid. “What poor woman did he somehow manage to charm enough to have a child with?”</p><p>From what Hubert had heard from the Three Fates--mainly Yuri and Constance’s gossiping--the woman had a touch of divine blood in her family lineage. Who that god was, Hubert wasn’t sure, but perhaps Ludwig hoped to beget a child with some desirable abilities by joining his divine blood with the woman’s distant lineage.</p><p>A fool’s ambition if the man hoped to gain some sort of prestige out of the deal. Despite his pompous behavior, the man was still a lowly harvest god at the end of the day. A bad one at that given the number of souls that would enter his domain throughout the spring season.</p><p>“I mean honestly, it’s a bit- Oh!” Dorothea exclaimed, eyes widening in surprise before a large smile spread across her face. “Edie! Edie, come over here!” She called out, waving her arms.</p><p>The crowd parted as Lady Edelgard made her way towards them, looking majestic in her red and gold armor. Her white hair and the gold of her armor shone brilliantly in the light. A hawk was perched on her shoulder, but Hubert recognized those dark eyes and the color of those feathers immediately.</p><p>“Lady Edelgard,” Hubert said, bowing lowly. Sneaking a glance at the hawk, he gave a slight smirk. “And good evening to you as well, Professor.”</p><p>Lady Edelgard’s cool expression cracked for a moment, a small smile slipping on her face as she turned to face the “bird” perched on her shoulder. Raising her hand, she brought one of her fingers up to rub underneath the neck. “As expected, nothing gets past you Hubert,” she said, smiling at both of them. “It’s lovely to see both of you.”</p><p>“Likewise, my Lady.”</p><p>“Oh Edie,” Dorothea hugged her then, overcome with joy. “I missed you! We have so much we need to catch up on.”</p><p>“I look forward to that,” she said softly, flustered a bit by Dorothea’s straightforwardness. Byleth, still perched on Lady Edelgard’s shoulder, seemed amused by the interaction. Once her face seemed less pink, she turned to face Hubert. “Now that we are face-to-face, I would like to apologize if the recent… skirmish has made your job more difficult.”</p><p>“There’s nothing to apologize for, my Lady,” Hubert responded. “I’m well aware of how inconsistent my job can be from time to time. The influx of souls from that skirmish barely made me work up a sweat.”</p><p>“Either way, I still feel as though I should apologize. I miscalculated and-”</p><p><i>“El, I already told you to take it as a learning experience,”</i> Byleth spoke, projecting her thoughts to the three of them. <i>“It was only a slight miscalculation. In the end, you managed to see what went wrong quickly and fixed that. There’s no need to apologize to Hubert at this rate.”</i></p><p>“But Professor-” She stopped herself at the look Byleth managed to convey, despite still being transformed into a hawk. Blushing a little, Lady Edelgard continued, “<i>Byleth</i>, it’s still the polite thing to do.”</p><p>“While I don’t find it necessary, I still appreciate the thought, my Lady,” Hubert bowed again. “It’s not everyday someone apologizes to me for something like this.”</p><p>Lady Edelgard’s mouth thinned, but she didn’t say anything to that. Hubert knew that she was displeased with many people’s treatment of Hubert, largely due to the fact that it stemmed from ill-placed blame and inflated egos.</p><p>This was, however, hardly the place to talk about it. Hubert already saw people whispering and staring at them--mainly Hubert. In fact, a brave (foolish) few seemed to be sneering in his direction. He didn’t want to attract more attention to his Lady by talking about <i>that</i> within possible earshot of one of Rhea’s lackies.</p><p>“Forgive me, my Lady, Dorothea, but being in the same room as these feckless fools this long is giving me a bit of a headache,” Gesturing towards the gardens, Hubert gave one last bow to Lady Edelgard and gave a curt nod to Byleth and Dorothea. “If you need me.”</p><p>“Of course,” Lady Edelgard stated plainly, watching a pair of whispering gods out of the corner of her eyes. “Enjoy your walk, Hubert. I hear the moon looks lovely tonight.”</p>
<hr/><p>As much as Hubert despised Rhea’s palace and all of its unnecessary opulence, he was willing to admit that the gardens were the best feature of Mt. Olympus.</p><p>Strolling through the gardens were especially pleasant at night. The lack of nympths frollicking through the meadows or whatever they did certainly helped, as well as the lack of noise. A few creatures would scurry past him, but they seemed to know better than to disturb the Lord of the Underworld.</p><p>As Lady Edelgard said, the moon looked lovely tonight. Large and full as it peacefully hung in the clear night sky, stars twinkling around it. It’s solitary place meant that Petra was done for now, likely already socializing with the others inside the large hall before she took her chariot across the sky again.</p><p>Sighing to himself, Hubert continued walking the lonely path, taking a moment to look at a few of the flowers that populated this particular path. Fittingly enough, there were a few red roses with their thorns hidden by the leaves surrounding them and some more poisonous plants scattered in between--likely a few brought from Petra’s home island the last time she returned to Mt. Olympus. The roses and other plants seemed to be encroaching on the bed of white lilies planted next to them, a few of the vines already tangling themselves within the space.</p><p>Hubert smiled and walked away, feeling both amused and satisfied by the image.</p><p>As he continued with his walk, the sound of the party faded out and Hubert was left with the silence of the night. There were a few sounds coming from the bushes--crickets and whatever nocturnal animals liked to roam the gardens now that the divine beings inhabiting the mountain were gone for now. He wasn’t quite sure how long he had been gone. The coolness of the night--or the cold, in general--hardly affected him. Distantly, he could see a wooden gazebo in the center of a large opening, one of the many marble fountains littering the space placed next to it.</p><p>Moving closer, he could see a figure standing underneath the roof, looking out at the view of the clouds that hid the peak of the mountain from mortal eyes. They seemed dressed in fine clothing, white cloth wrapped around their body with pale shades of the flowers surrounding them incorporated into the design. Their hair was long and wavy, a golden-orange color that shined beautifully in the pale moonlight.</p><p>A foreign feeling (<i>warmth?</i>) welled up inside of him.</p><p>(It’s said that the chill of the Underworld found its way into Hubert’s being.</p><p>Perhaps that’s not entirely true.)</p><p>Almost in a trance, Hubert moved towards the figure before him, keeping his steps quiet so not to disturb them. As he got closer, he could hear that the figure was humming some sort of tune. He could also see the well-defined muscles of the figure’s arms, accented by the gold bracelets that were wrapped around their biceps.</p><p>His attention, however, was on those amber locks that seemed to flow behind them. It reached down to the middle of his back and looked well taken care of despite the length. The hair almost seemed golden the closer he moved to the person standing before him.</p><p>(He resisted the urge to reach out and <i>touch</i>. Just to see if those locks looked as soft as he thought.)</p><p>The moment, however, was broken by the creak of the wooden step of the gazebo.</p><p>“Huh?” The figure said, turning quickly to face Hubert. Flames, he thought, the man’s face was as obnoxiously lovely as the rest of him. “Oh! Good evening? I cannot say I was expecting company tonight given how fervently the others were celebrating.”</p><p>“My apologies,” Hubert started, suddenly feeling awkward at disturbing the man’s time. “I needed to clear my head. I didn’t mean to disturb you.”</p><p>“Not at all!” The man assured, grinning brightly at Hubert. “It is quite nice to have company! I’m afraid I have not gotten the chance to interact with others like myself, so I’m more than happy to have you here!”</p><p>‘They would eat you alive,’ Hubert thought, picturing those golden fools swarming the first chance they got on the man. Instead, he said, “Is that so? I can’t say I’ve had someone tell me they’re more than happy to have me near them.”</p><p>“Why is that?” The man asked, tilting his head in confusion.</p><p>Hubert resisted the urge to roll his eyes, thinking the man must be joking. But given the genuine confusion on his face and in his eyes, it seemed that the man didn’t actually know who he was.</p><p>Curious. <i>Very</i> curious.</p><p>“Let’s just say my duties tend to make others keep me at arm’s length,” Hubert responded carefully, waiting for recognition to enter the man’s eyes. When it didn’t, he continued. “It’s considered a rather unpleasant job, so I’m used to the loneliness.”</p><p>The man frowned, a hint of pity in his eyes. “That’s hardly fair.”</p><p>“I’m afraid that’s just how things are.”</p><p>The man was about to respond when a voice interrupted them, disturbing the peaceful atmosphere of the garden.</p><p>“Ferdinand!” A man called out, rushing over to them. “There you are, silly boy! Where have you been?! The ceremony is about to-” Hubert narrowed his eyes at the sight of the god of the harvest, causing the man to stop in his tracks. “Wha- What are <i>you</i> doing here?!”</p><p>“Taking a stroll through the gardens, Ludwig.”</p><p>“That’s <i>Lord</i> Ludwig to you!” He sneered, turning his attention back to his son. “Come Ferdinand, you mustn’t associate yourself with <i>this</i> man.”</p><p>“Father-”</p><p>“Now!” He commanded, turning away and stomping back down the path he took. For a moment, the man looked like an overgrown toddler throwing a tantrum.</p><p>The man--Ferdinand, his mind supplied--sighed and gave Hubert an apologetic smile. “My apologies for his behavior. He shouldn’t have spoken to you like that.”</p><p>Waving his hand dismissively, Hubert said, “It’s fine. I’m used to it.”</p><p>“No one should be used to being talked to like they’re some sort of… disease.” Ferdinand pressed, frowning again as he watched Ludwig move farther and farther away from them.</p><p>“While I don’t find myself bothered by the opinions of people lower than me, I appreciate the apology regardless.” Hubert responded, giving Ferdinand a low bow. “I must say, you have much better manners than him.”</p><p>“Ha! I’m quite certain my mother would agree with you,” The smile returned, this time a bit brighter than before. “How she dealt with him, I’ll never know.”</p><p>“It might have helped if Ludwig’s duties kept him away for months on end…” Hubert snickered, which managed to get a small laugh out of Ferdinand. “Although you should be heading back. I wouldn’t want you to get into any sort of trouble with him.”</p><p>“I suppose you’re right,” Ferdinand said. “Hopefully I will see you another time?”</p><p><i>‘I doubt it,’</i> Hubert thought. The likelihood of Rhea letting him come to Mt. Olympus for personal reasons was very low. “We can hope.”</p><p>Smiling, Ferdinand gave him a bow and walked away, calmly following after his father and leaving Hubert alone underneath the gazebo.</p><p>If Hubert looked close enough, he could see a few stray flowers blooming underneath the steps Ferdinand took. They were small, but a noticeable difference in the path leading back towards the palace.</p><p>“Interesting,” Hubert muttered to himself, staring at the small poppy and peony flowers that bloomed along the path. “Very interesting indeed… Ludwig’s child is hardly anything like the man.”</p><p>A blessing for sure, Hubert thought. The world didn’t need another Ludwig running around, proclaiming his importance to the world due to something as arbitrary as a <i>title</i> given to him.</p><p>Perhaps the night was not wasted after all.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Taking some time away from it all.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Ferdinand's POV for most of this chapter! This is a few days after the end of chapter 2 for reference.</p><p>In other, completely unrelated news, FF7R is tomorrow and I'm not ready. :)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“I forbid it.”</p><p>“I believe the decision is not yours to make, Father,” Ferdinand responded. He turned away from the combination of flowers he was trying to breed to give his father a blank look.</p><p>“Well,” his father simpered, arms crossed and looking down his nose at the younger god before him. “I am your father, therefore my word is final-”</p><p>“I am also a twenty-three year old man,” he said slowly. “If I were a <i>child</i>, you would have a say in this decision.”</p><p>“Do not take that tone with me!” The man snapped, face flushing in anger. “No child of mine will be marrying someone like <i>that</i>!”</p><p>“Again, I do not believe the decision is yours to make,” Ferdinand snapped back, momentarily catching his father off guard. “As it stands, Lady Rhea asked me what I wanted, not you.”</p><p>“You could easily marry someone much better,” his father tried, panic starting to settle in the man’s face. “What about Lorenz? Or Dimitri if you insist on marrying a man? Bernadetta is a wonderful choice as well if you would like to-”</p><p>“Lorenz is my closest friend! Not to mention he and Claude will be marrying quite soon as well.” Ferdinand explained, now crossing his arms. “I hardly know Dimitri outside of his role of charioting the sun across the sky and Bernadetta cannot marry. Her dominion is chastity, Father!”</p><p>“Well-”</p><p>“No,” Ferdinand interrupted, walking past his father and towards the palace. “I do believe my mind has been made up.”</p><p>“You’re really going to marry someone like <i>him</i>?! Some poor fool cursed to living in the depths of the Underworld?! If this is to spite me for-”</p><p>“Good day, Father,” he called out, walking further away from the man. He made a mental note, however, to return to tending those flowers later once the unpleasantness of that encounter with his father was gone.</p><p>“Ferdinand!” The man called out, running after him. “Ferdinand, come back here at once! Don’t you dare ignore me!”</p>
<hr/><p>Truthfully, Ferdinand would have marched to Lady Rhea’s chambers and offered his answer to her, but there was a voice in the back of his head that sounded like his mother telling him to wait before making a rash decision.</p><p>So he did. He stopped before he got too far into the palace and turned back around, heading towards the entrance to the Mt. Olympus and the stables where the pegasi were stored..</p><p>It seemed that no matter who he turned to for advice, everyone looked at him like he had grown a second head for even considering the proposal! Even Lorenz looked at Ferdinand in confusion, completely flabbergasted by all of it.</p><p>In all honesty, Ferdinand hoped that this marriage would allow him more freedom from his father. He didn’t know much about the Lord of the Underworld, but Ferdinand <i>did</i> know that the gods had a tendency to exaggerate stories. He highly doubted that Hubert feasted on the souls of the dead, especially since the source came from non-other than Hilda. He also saw how angry those rumors tended to make Edelgard, and Ferdinand didn’t think a woman that presided over justice and wisdom would be foolish enough to trust this so-called monster that everyone seemed to make the Lord of the Underworld out to be.</p><p>Sighing to himself, Ferdinand entered the stables and made his way towards his own steed, a lovely white pegasus named Elizabeth. He, of course, greeted the other pegasi as well, stroking their noses as he made his way towards his darling Elizabeth.</p><p>The pegasus greeted him with a high-pitched whinny, excitedly stomping her hooves in the ground in her pen. “Hello, my darling! I’m sorry for leaving you alone for the last two weeks, I’m afraid things have been quite hectic,” he said, stroking a brush down Elizabeth’s side. “Will a flight to Corinth make it up to you?”</p><p>Neighing excitedly, she nudged her head against Ferdinand’s hand. He laughed, pleased to see that she was just as excited about the excursion as him. “Alright then! Let us be on our way!”</p><p>Saddling the pegasus, Ferdinand led her out of the stables and got up on her back, leading her towards the edge of Mt. Olympus. Vaguely, he could see Dimitri charioting the sun across the sky, but otherwise the afternoon sky was clear of anyone. Giving a firm pat, Elizabeth took off and jumped over the edge, spreading her wings out as they dived towards the earth and disappearing into the cloud cover.</p>
<hr/><p>Corinth had hardly changed from the last Ferdinand had visited the city. The visits were, of course, few and far between due to his father, but Ferdinand made it a point to sneak down whenever he could. Mt. Olympus may be his new home now, but Corinth was where he was raised.</p><p>Flying over the polis, Ferdinand descended towards one of the homes perched at the top of the residential district. His family’s home was large--fitting of a noble and great family within the city--and, thankfully, private, making it much easier to land a pegasus without causing some alarm among any unsuspecting mortals.</p><p>A few servants let out startled cries as Elizabeth slowly descended, her wings causing a strong gust of wind to carry through the courtyard. The wind didn’t cause any damage to the vases that decorated the space, so Ferdinand thought that this visit was already off to a good start.</p><p>“Good afternoon, young master,” one of the servants said, an older man was graying hair, but sharp eyes. “It is a pleasure to see you again. Would you like me to fetch your lady mother?”</p><p>“Alexander! It is good to see you as well! And yes, please, let Mother know I’m here. Can you tell her it’s urgent? I need advice from her…”</p><p>“Most certainly,” Alexander intoned, steps brisk as he entered the house. One of the other servants came over to take Elizabeth’s reins, leading her towards the large field behind their home where she could wander without being disturbed. Briefly, Ferdinand wondered if the flowers he had planted there blossomed since his last visit and made a note to check.</p><p>Taking a seat on one of the benches that were placed in the courtyard, Ferdinand waited for Alexander to bring his mother to him. Resting his entwined hands under his chin, Ferdinand wondered how he was going to broach the subject with her.</p><p>
  <i>“I want you to be happy,” she had said, trying to keep a brave face as she watched Ferdinand leave with his father to live a life on Mt. Olympus. Unfortunately, Ferdinand could see her eyes getting misty. “Promise me you won’t do anything that’ll make you miserable, Ferdie.”</i>
</p><p>
  <i>“I promise, Mother,” Ferdinand said, wiping a stray tear away from his mother’s face. “I won’t allow Father to make me do anything against my wishes.”</i>
</p><p>
  <i>“Good,” she murmured, a tired smile gracing her face. “Take care, Ferdinand, and make sure to visit when you can.”</i>
</p><p>He’s done his best to keep that promise to his father, which meant learning to stand up for himself better. Overall, however, he thinks he’s done a fine job at keeping that promise to his mother. He just hoped that her sound judgement could help him with this decision put before him.</p><p>“Ferdinand?” a voice called out, causing Ferdinand to quickly turn to see his mother step out from the house. “Oh Ferdinand! Hello, darling boy, what brings you here? Alexander said it was urgent…”</p><p>“Hello Mother,” he greeted, getting up to bring her into a warm hug. The scent of hydrangeas clung to her hair, a familiar scent throughout his childhood. “It’s wonderful to see you, even if it is on rather urgent business…”</p><p>“Sit,” she said, patting the spot next to her on the bench. “Tell me what’s wrong, my dear, and maybe I can help.”</p><p>So he did. He told her about his life on Mt. Olympus (she seemed immensely amused by Lorenz’s theatrics), the trapped feeling he felt under his father’s thumb (sympathy flashed in her eyes), his father’s insistence on getting him married (earning a rather unlady-like eye roll from her), and the marriage proposal he had received from the mysterious Lord of the Underworld.</p><p>“Interesting,” she said, considering her words carefully. “Have you met him yet?”</p><p>“I… don’t believe so?”</p><p>“You’re not sure.” she stated, although Ferdinand could hear the question in her words. “Are you sure you want to marry a man you have never met?”</p><p>“I want freedom, Mother! Away from father and all those constant <i>stares</i>...” he exclaimed, pursing his lips. “It’s uncomfortable… and this might be my only chance of escaping that.”</p><p>She sighed, drumming her finger along the edge of the bench. She bit her lip, like she wanted to say something. “Mother, please, whatever it is you need to say, tell me. Your advice is important to me.”</p><p>“I just-” she started, cutting herself off as she stared off into the distant shores, the sound of waves crashing against the cliffside. “I just don’t want you to be in a loveless marriage, Ferdinand. Or be used in some sort of way-”</p><p>Taking a hold of her hand, Ferdinand rubbed soothing circles. “I… Could learn to love him.” Ferdinand admitted, squeezing his mother’s hand. Giving her a small smile, he continued, “Fear not, I won’t let anything bad happen to me.”</p><p>“I’ll pray to the Goddess of Marriage herself if it means keeping you safe,” she promised, squeezing his hand back. “Forgive me, you came to me asking for advice and comfort, but it seems our roles got reversed…”</p><p>“No apologies needed! I understand your concerns. In some way, I believe that Lorenz shares them as well, but is rather bad at making them clear… He just keeps telling me he’s the <i>‘Lord of the Underworld, Ferdinand’</i> as if that explains everything.”</p><p>“Unfortunately, he’s rather mysterious to us mortals as well,” she chuckled. “So I cannot offer much advice on what type of person he is. You’ll just have to find out for yourself.”</p><p>“So you think I should do it? Accept this proposal?”</p><p>“If that’s what you want, Ferdinand, then you have my blessings,” she said, giving him a tiny smile. “Just promise me you’ll stay safe in the Underworld.”</p><p>“Of course!” Ferdinand promised. “Have faith in me, Mother! I wouldn’t do something as foolish as travel into Tartarus.”</p><p>“Sorry,” she laughed, clearly not as apologetic as she hoped to be. “But I just remember the little boy that would explore every inch of the house and get himself stuck in the oddest places…”</p><p>“Well!” Ferdinand huffed, earning a playful hit on the shoulder from his mother. Truthfully, he was happy to see her happy again. Clearing his throat, he said, “Well, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go visit the field for a bit.”</p><p>“I saw some of the flowers you planted bloom during my last walk,” she chimed. “I believe you’ll love how they’ve turned out. And be back in time for a mid-afternoon meal! Your uncle will be there!”</p><p>“Yes Mother!” he called out, heading towards the field and down the slope. From a distance, he could see a variety of flowers in bloom and he felt his mood pick up even more. How exciting! He could finally see what became of the flowers he created when he first realized his abilities!</p><p><i>‘Yes,’</i> he thought, <i>‘This visit is turning out wonderfully so far!’</i></p>
<hr/><p>Waiting, Hubert thought, was the worst part about this.</p><p>This waiting game was beginning to frustrate him greatly. If Ferdinand didn’t want to accept his proposal, then Hubert would take the rejection and resign himself to marrying whatever empty-headed goddess or nymph Rhea would have lined up for him.</p><p>It had been three--nearly four--days since Hubert sent his answer to Rhea and he wondered if the woman was sitting on the proposal or if Ferdinand’s silence was enough of an answer. Unfortunately, there was also Ludwig to consider, but Hubert had some small amount of faith that Rhea wasn’t going to let the man decide. Ferdinand was old enough to accept or reject the proposal himself, for Flames’s sake.</p><p>This dilemma was the main reason why he was rummaging through his quarters, looking for the mirror that Dorothea had gifted him during her last (and only) excursion to the Underworld.</p><p>According to her, the mirror was enchanted and could show the user the person that they most desired to see as long as they were visible under the light of the sun or moon. Hubert wasn’t sure what time of day it was, but he knew that Petra wasn’t due to fly a dark moon across the night sky anytime soon.</p><p>(He hoped that Yuri or Constance didn’t go sneaking into his chambers recently and grabbed the mirror without his permission. Those two were, unfortunately, quite nosy when it came to their benefactor and his life. He hoped Hapi had stopped them because he knew for a fact that Balthus wouldn’t have.)</p><p>“Ah,” Hubert breathed out, grabbing the handle and holding the mirror up in the candle light. “Here it is.”</p><p>The mirror itself was rather plain, a simple disk surrounded by a silver frame. It wasn’t overly decorated, only a few accented details were placed on the back, which is exactly what Hubert liked. He was relieved to see it was still here and not in the possession of one of the Fates. Today was not the day that Hubert wanted to feel their probing stares as they took in whatever they saw in his immortal soul.</p><p>All he had to do was whisper the name of the person he desired to see and the mirror was supposed to show him.</p><p>“Ferdinand,” Hubert whispered, pausing for a moment. “God of Spring.” He tacked on, just in case the mirror needed something specific.</p><p>Slowly, the mirror began to shine, the scene changing from Hubert’s face to a large field of flowers. The variety of colors and species--not to mention the massive amount of flowers that covered the field--told Hubert that it wasn’t one of the gardens located on Mt. Olympus.</p><p>“What is he doing in the mortal realm?” Hubert muttered, watching as the image became less blurry and felt his breath catch when the mirror showed Ferdinand, dressed in fine red silks with gold pieces accenting the outfit. “<i>Flames</i>.”</p><p>He watched as Ferdinand crouched down, observing one of the flowers surrounding him, a large grin spreading across his face at whatever he was seeing.</p><p><i>‘He’s right above you,’</i> Hubert's mind spoke. <i>‘He’s not on Mt. Olympus.’</i></p><p>There was no need to go through Rhea’s rule or having to deal with those golden idiots if Hubert wanted to see Ferdinand right now. Hubert was allowed to come and go from the <i>mortal</i> realm as he pleased; Rhea’s rules only applied to him being able to visit Mt. Olympus on <i>her</i> terms.</p><p>The mortal realm was free of those restrictions.</p><p><i>‘Go see him!’</i> A new voice said excitedly, sounding like Lady Edelgard now during those rare moments where the mask fell away. <i>‘Go see him before it’s too late!’</i></p><p>Pursing his lip, Hubert set the mirror down on his bed and grabbed his cloak. This was going to be his only chance to see Ferdinand outside of his next visit to Mt. Olympus.</p><p>It was now or never. He just hoped that Ferdinand would hear him out before giving him whatever rejection he had planned.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>A sought-after reunion.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>So FF7R happened last weekend and I haven't felt the same since. Got sucked back into crying over my favorite Final Fantasy cast and honestly I'm very happy. Also Aerith's new theme is really good to write to? It hits in a different way this time around. Definitely recommend listening to it!</p><p>But reunion time!! Picking back up on Hubert's POV this chapter from the last one! Some things are getting... addressed and expanded upon later. But anyways, enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Hubert hissed and covered his eyes as he was immediately assaulted by the harsh sunlight beaming down, stepping out of the portal connecting the Underworld to the mortal realm.</p><p>Vaguely, he thinks, he’s suddenly reminded <i>why</i> he prefers leaving the Underworld when it’s night time in the realms above.</p><p>Luckily, it looks like his magic worked. He can smell the ocean breeze wafting through the air, mixing with the scent of the various flowers surrounding him in this field. A large stone structure was placed at the top of the cliff, the white stone glistering in the sunlight. It didn’t look like a temple--much less one dedicated to Seteth, which meant he didn’t need to worry about the older god reporting anything to Rhea--so Hubert chose to ignore it for now.</p><p>Hubert came to the mortal realm for one reason and one reason alone, and he wasn’t going to let anything prevent that.</p>
<hr/><p>Of course, doing something was quite different from actually planning something.</p><p>Ferdinand was in the same spot that the mirror showed him, sitting in the ground with his back turned towards Hubert. It looked like a garland of flowers was in the amber-haired man’s lap, different types of flowers stringed together and spilling out of his lap.</p><p>He was <i>right there</i>, right in front of him.</p><p>And Hubert felt like too much of a coward to make the first step towards him.</p><p><i>‘Go on,’</i> the same voice from before said. <i>‘He’s right there!’</i></p><p><i>‘I know that,’</i> Hubert thought back, irritation clear.</p><p>Despite knowing that Ferdinand was a friendly person, judging by their first encounter, this was different. Somehow it was more intimidating to try striking up a conversation with the man knowing that there was a marriage proposal hanging over their head.</p><p><i>‘Don’t let this moment escape you,’</i> another voice--Byleth’s this time--said, calm and collective. <i>‘You’ll regret it if you do.’</i></p><p>In all the years Hubert had known Byleth, the woman had always made it a habit to impart her students with words of wisdom--usually related to the battlefield, but nevertheless could be applied to everyday scenarios.</p><p>Byleth had taught them that a strategic retreat when outmatched and outnumbered wasn’t a cowardly move, but she did make it a point to say that it was if you avoided a fight without trying.</p><p>Hubert was the <i>Lord of the Underworld</i>, for Flames’ sake! Mortals and gods alike trembled in his presence. He has never been a coward, and he most certainly won’t start becoming one now.</p><p>Taking a quiet breath in, Hubert made a move towards Ferdinand when suddenly a piercing noise echoed through the field.</p><p>And Hubert felt himself get slammed in the side by nearly one-thousand pounds of weight.</p><p>“Huh? What in the- Elizabeth! What are you doing?!” Ferdinand exclaimed, garland falling from his lap as he rushed over to the agitated pegasus, standing over Hubert with her nostrils flared.</p><p>“Elizabeth, calm yourself,” Ferdinand murmured, petting the side of the pegasus’ body. “Are you alright?”</p><p>Hubert just groaned in response.</p><p>“Oh goodness, Elizabeth look at what you’ve done! You’ve injured someone- Wait…” A shadow fell over Hubert, blocking the sun from his view. Opening his eyes, he was met with gold-orange hair falling over him like a cascade of water. The confusion in Ferdinand’s eyes turned into recognition not long after. “Oh! You’re the man from before! From the gazebo…”</p><p>“Yes,” Hubert tentatively answered, trying to sit up and allow himself <i>some</i> decency at this moment. There was a sudden sharpness that flashed up his spine, causing him to groan in discomfort.</p><p>“Ah you really are hurt…” Moving out of the way, Ferdinand wrapped an arm around Hubert’s waist and under his arm, helping him sit up and stand. “You will have to forgive me, I’m not quite sure what has gotten into her…”</p><p>Sneaking a glance at the pegasus, Hubert noticed that she seemed agitated still, but slightly more docile than before. Hubert had a feeling he knew why the beast suddenly charged at him and heaved out a sigh. It seemed that the beasts and monsters in the Underworld were the only ones unafraid to approach Hubert--or, at the very least, try not to attack him.</p><p>“It’s fine,” Hubert said, feeling more like himself now that he wasn’t lying flat on his back. “I’m… quite used to animals having a negative reaction to me.”</p><p>“I feel as though that’s an understatement,” Ferdinand joked, a slight smile forming. “But still, are you alright? That was quite the fall you took!”</p><p>Hubert snorted, narrowing his eyes at the distant beast. “It will take more than an angry pegasus to kill me.”</p><p>“Even so, I insist that I take you to my family’s home to look you over for any wounds.”</p><p>“I doubt I have any broken bones.”</p><p>“How about for my peace of mind then?” </p><p>The earnestness in his voice and eyes made it very hard to say no after that. “Very well, I suppose it couldn’t hurt to check.”</p><p>“Excellent! Follow me and I can show you a less steep path up to my family’s home!”</p>
<hr/><p>Hubert’s suspicions turned out to be correct when Ferdinand led them to the building at the top of the cliff. He breathed out a relieved sigh, glad that it wasn’t a temple dedicated to Seteth. Costals cities tended to have a number of them scattered about the area and, even though Hubert wasn’t doing anything <i>wrong</i>, he still didn’t want Rhea to find out somehow.</p><p>A few mortals greeted them, polite familiarity in the way they addressed Ferdinand and doing a good job of hiding their confusion as the darkly dressed man trailing after their young master. One flinched when Hubert got close enough, looking like they were torn between running away or standing their ground.</p><p>“Here we are,” Ferdinand said, gesturing to the pulled out chair. “Now then, let’s see what the damage is.”</p><p>“I’ll have you know that I’m not as fragile as you may think,” Hubert reminded him, but complied with the request. Slowly, he began undoing the fabrics wrapped around his body, hissing when he twisted his body in a way that caused something to hurt. Ferdinand took note of it too, a worried frown pulling on his face as he stepped closer to help Hubert with his task.</p><p>(Hubert pointedly kept his gaze locked on a spot on the wall, trying to keep his composure in check while Ferdinand was <i>so close</i>--right within reach.)</p><p>“I was right about the bruising,” Ferdinand hummed. “There’s a pretty bad one on your lower back.”</p><p>“Lovely,” he muttered, earning a chuckle from Ferdinand.</p><p>“May I?” he asked, hands drawing close, but keeping their distance, from Hubert’s sides. When Hubert nodded, Ferdinand gently ran both of his hands along Hubert’s sides.</p><p>Logically, Hubert knew it was to look for any fractured bones. Byleth had taught them similarly after all, and it was common for Linhardt to inspect Caspar like this after a particularly intense sparring match with a few cyclopes.</p><p>Of course, Hubert actively suppressed the shiver that ran down his spine at feeling Ferdinand’s fingers move slowly across his ribs, down to his waist, and making a detour along his back while avoiding the bruises that formed there.</p><p>“Well the good news is that you don’t appear to have any fractured bones,” Ferdinand pulled away then, appearing in front of Hubert now. “Just a few bruises from when you landed on the ground, but otherwise you seem fine!”</p><p>“Thank you. I’m sure those will be gone by tomorrow morning.” He said, redressing himself. In the meantime, Hubert could deal with the minor discomfort.</p><p>“Ah the perks of godhood! Although I would still see someone about those,” Pausing, Ferdinand tilted his head in confusion, appearing to think something over. “Do you live on Mt. Olympus? If Linhardt isn’t busy, I’m sure he would be willing to heal you.”</p><p>“I’m afraid I don’t,” Hubert answered, pursing his lips. “I’m not really allowed to come and go from Mt. Olympus.”</p><p>“Really?” Ferdinand, eyes widening in surprise. “Then where do you live? You don’t look like one of Lord Seteth’s denizens…”</p><p><i>‘Now or never,’</i> Hubert thought, steeling himself. “I live in the Underworld.”</p><p>“The Under- Oh!”</p><p>Hubert watched as Ferdinand took in Hubert’s appearance. From his eerily pale skin to his dark hair and clothes, Hubert would stand out in the brightly colored realm of Mt. Olympus and, most certainly, Seteth’s ocean palace.</p><p>“Then… have you ever met the Lord of the Underworld?” Ferdinand asked, missing the way Hubert flinched slightly at the question. “If you are a member of his realm, then you must have heard the news…”</p><p>“That he sent a marriage proposal to you,” Hubert finished, unsure of where this was going. He couldn’t tell if Ferdinand was upset with it or not.</p><p>“Yes and, well, I’ve heard nothing but rumors about him from my friends on Mt. Olympus,” Ferdinand continued, nervously playing with the hem of the sash across his chest. “Like that he eats the souls of the departed? Things of that nature and I know it <i>sounds</i> ridiculous, but still…”</p><p>“Well I can reassure you that the Lord of the Underworld doesn’t eat human souls,” Hubert deadpanned. He wasn’t sure where a rumor like that sparked from, but it was definitely one of the more ridiculous ones he’s heard. “In fact, most rumors you’ve likely heard are nothing more than that… rumors meant to instill fear and prejudice against someone that’s seen as too different.”</p><p>With his pale skin and eerie eyes, Hubert <i>was</i> different from most of his peers. Different enough that it warranted suspicion and hostility from some of the stupider ones. He knew some of the aggression came from his association with death though, as well as Rhea’s obvious dislike.</p><p>“I had a feeling that was the case,” Ferdinand muttered, a far off look in his eyes. He shook his head then, dispelling whatever thoughts bothered him at that moment. “I have to admit, it’s rather reassuring to hear that!”</p><p>“I’m glad to have helped then,” Hubert mururmed. “I… do not know if it would help, but I can reassure you that the Lord of the Underworld is nothing like the rumors depict him as.” Pausing, Hubert thought over his next words carefully. “He can be rather harsh,” he admitted, recalling some of the criticism he has received over the years from the others. “A bit distant and cold, but underneath he’s rather… soft.”</p><p>“Soft?” Ferdinand questioned, brows furrowed in confusion.</p><p>Vaguely, he recalls Bernadetta referring to him as such, only to shriek in embarrassed horror when Byleth pointed out his presence. “Yes,” he settled for, suddenly feeling awkward. “At least, that’s what I’ve heard.”</p><p>Ferdinand nodded, thinking over Hubert’s words. “I see,” Ferdinand said, flashing Hubert a smile. “That actually helps quite a lot with my current predicament, so thank you!”</p><p>Giving a curt nod, Hubert looked away, willing himself to focus on examining the room they were in rather than Ferdinand’s handsome face.</p><p>The room was decorated with various shades of blue. The decor was clearly expensive, but not overdone in a way that showed the family living here didn’t seem to rely on appearances to show their status.</p><p><i>‘A good lesson for the God of the Harvest,’</i> Hubert thought, thinking of the lavish and gaudy way the man dressed despite his status as a minor god. Now there was a man that was overcompensating for his own lack of worth.</p><p>The only thing that grated on Hubert’s nerves was the copious amounts of devotional items related to Seteth scattered about. Symbols related to the sea god were painted on some of the vases, as well as depictions of stories related to him as well. Looking closer, Hubert could see a small devotional figure carved to look like how the humans imagined him to appear resting on a small altar.</p><p>Just as Hubert was about to ask Ferdinand why those were there, a blonde woman walked into the room, an older man following after her. Both she and the man looked annoyed, but whatever traces of that left their faces when their eyes both rested on him and Ferdinand.</p><p>“Oh? Ferdinand, I didn’t know we had company,” the woman said, walking over to Hubert. “A pleasure to meet you. My name is Clara,” she introduced, giving Hubert a pleasant smile. “And you are?”</p><p>Ferdinand’s eyes widened then, mouth gaping open. “Ah! I just realized…”</p><p>“That I never got to properly introduce myself?” Hubert finished, chuckling a little. He enjoyed the light pink dusting Ferdinand’s cheeks at the statement. “Admitively, that night we first met was interrupted, so I never got the chance to tell you my name.” Standing, Hubert gave a slight bow to the woman and older man while giving Ferdinand a nod. “My name is Hubert and I… am a denizen of the Underworld.”</p><p>If either Clara or Ferdinand noticed his hesitation, they were polite enough to ignore it. The man standing behind Clara, however, raised an eyebrow and stood straighter.</p><p>“A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Hubert,” Ferdinand exclaimed. Giving a playful wink, he said, “Officially this time.”</p><p>“Agreed,” Clara said, smiling warmly at him.</p><p>“Better not bring any bad luck…” the man muttered, loud enough for the three of them to hear. Clara turned to face him, glaring at the older man. Before she could say anything, he continued, “We’ll continue our discussion later Clara, but right now I have a meeting with a few merchants.”</p><p>Giving a final, curt nod to Clara and Ferdinand, the man turned and left the room, walking down the hallway he previously came from.</p><p>“The nerve,” Clara mumbled once he was out of earshot. “Why if your Uncle Maurice was here-”</p><p>“Grandfather can be quite stubborn,” Ferdinand said, shooting Hubert an apologetic smile.</p><p>“That’s one word for it!” Clara huffed, angrily pulling out one of the chairs and taking a seat. One of the servants--an older man, Hubert noted--came over quickly and handed the woman a cup of wine. She gave him a thankful smile before quickly downing the drink, placing the cup and whatever wine was left on the table with a loud thud.</p><p>“Mother-” Ferdinand chastised.</p><p>“My apologies, Hubert,” Clara said, sighing deeply. “He just makes me so angry-”</p><p>“No need for apologies, my lady,” Hubert calmly said. “Difficult parents can be quite the pain.”</p><p>“That’s also one word for it…” she muttered. There were still faint traces of her previous ire on her face, but the hint of a smile seemed to help relax both Ferdinand and the older servant. “Still… my behavior was rather unbecoming-”</p><p>“It’s quite alright,” Hubert interrupted. “I’ve seen much worse from women of an even higher station.”</p><p>He thinks about one gathering Rhea hosted where Hilda, a little bit drunk after engaging in a drinking contest with Claude’s encouragement, lifted poor Lorenz above her head and nearly dropped him. The man’s pleads to <i>‘put him down right this second Hilda or I swear-’</i> and the combined laughter of Hilda and Claude could be heard echoing through the space.</p><p>Rhea had been pointedly looking away from them the entire time, but it was rather clear from her tenseness and Seteth’s exasperated look that she wasn’t happy with them at the time.</p><p>“Ah, I can only imagine,” she chuckled, seeming to understand his implication.</p><p>Right, he thought. Her son is a god now and he introduced himself as a denizen of the Underworld. While humans believed in the presence of the gods, a good many of them still balked at the thought of them being <i>real</i> and in the flesh--so unlike the interpretations carved in marble and painted on their vases.</p><p>Speaking of that… “I hope it doesn’t come off as prying,” Hubert started, earning both Ferdinand and Clara’s attention quickly. “But I couldn’t help but notice the little altar over there…”</p><p>Clara tilted her head in confusion--a movement that Hubert could see Ferdinand in, making it clear where he picked it up from--before her eyes lit up in realization. “Ah yes the altar! Yes, our family keeps a small one to Lord Seteth.” She answered, turning her head to look at it. A flash of emotions--pride, hurt, and guilt--crossed her face before she turned to face Hubert, a pleasant smile back on her face. “Like many families in Corinth, we want to show Lord Seteth our thanks for protecting us by keeping some devotional items to him.”</p><p>“I see,” Hubert said, unsure what to make of that. A part of him felt that the woman was hiding something from him, especially given Ferdinand’s own sudden tenseness next to him, but Hubert didn’t want to upset her. “Yes, I imagine a city so close to the ocean would want to keep Lord Seteth’s favor.”</p><p>The woman nodded, missing the way Hubert’s nose crinkled at having to refer to Seteth as a <i>Lord</i>. Ferdinand, however, must have caught the action because he heard him quietly chuckle. Turning to face the amber haired man, Hubert gave him a warning look, which Ferdinand answered with his own playful grin.</p><p>“Excuse me?” a voice called out. A young man stepped in, looking apologetic. “Forgive the intrusion, but Lord Ferdinand if you could be so kind as to help me with the… pegasus?”</p><p>“Of course!” Ferdinand agreed, standing up quickly. “I left Elizabeth in quite an agitated state, so no doubt she’s being difficult right now. Hubert, you do not mind if…?”</p><p>“Go on ahead,” Hubert answered, waving his hand in the direction that the young man came. “I’ll be quite fine.”</p><p>“I’ll be back as soon as possible!” Ferdinand promised, dashing out of the room and towards the courtyard, the young man chasing after him with a worried look on his face.</p><p>Giving an amused sigh, Hubert turned to face Clara. The woman was staring at Hubert, eyes glistening with some unknown emotion that had Hubert on edge all of the sudden.</p><p>Sensing his tenseness, she put down her cup and cupped her hands together, resting them on top of the table. “Ah, I didn’t mean to make you upset,” she started. Pausing, she tilted her head, examining Hubert with that odd twinkle in her eyes. “So… you’re a denizen of the Underworld?” She asked, eyes still fixated on his own.</p><p>“Yes,” Hubert answered, narrowing his eyes in suspicion. “I am aware of the reputation that precedes those who dwell in the Underworld, however-”</p><p>“I would like us to get along, Hubert,” Clara interrupted, causing Hubert to bristle a little. He didn’t understand where her sudden shift in behavior was coming from. “Which is why I would appreciate it if you didn’t lie to me.”</p><p>“I’m not lying to you,” Hubert said quickly. Technically, he <i>wasn’t</i> lying. As Lord of the Underworld, he was a denizen of it as well, just not in the same way as those who worked under him or those who found themselves there in their afterlife were. “And I don’t appreciate being accused of lying.”</p><p>“Ferdinand is still quite young, so no doubt he doesn’t… feel the energy around you the same way I do,” Clara said slowly, pursing her lips. “You’re not just a normal denizen of the Underworld, are you?”</p><p>“And what makes you believe that?”</p><p>“Like I said, he doesn’t feel the energy surrounding you the same way I do,” Clara repeated, looking mildly annoyed now at his dodging. “You’re not the first god I’ve met and you most certainly won’t be the last.”</p><p>“Like the God of the Harvest?” Hubert questioned.</p><p>Clara flinched then, frowning at the question. “Yes, but he’s not the <i>first</i> god I met. He’s, unfortunately, the one I know the best now.”</p><p>“And the first god you met was…?”</p><p>“Lord Seteth,” she said plainly, unbothered by Hubert’s surprise. “When I was a newborn, he came to see me a few days after my birth. Of course, I don’t remember the encounter, but I do remember him appearing when my brother Maurice was born.” She paused, letting Hubert digest the information before continuing. “You have the same energy as him; much stronger than Ludwig’s energy that’s for certain, which means you <i>can’t</i> be a simple ‘denizen of the Underworld,’ yes?”</p><p>Hubert didn’t know how to respond to that. Despite the large room only holding himself and Clara, it felt much smaller and more heavy than before.</p><p>“It’s alright if you don’t want to answer that,” she said, giving a small sigh. “I just want to make sure my son will be taken care of.”</p><p>“Of course he will,” Hubert mumbled. He felt his cheeks heat up at the admission and Clara’s knowing smile. “I wouldn’t let anything bad happen to him.” It was the closest he was willing to answer her question, which she seemed relieved by,</p><p>“Well good,” she said, shoulders relaxing. “Our bloodline has been both a blessing… and a curse. I wouldn’t want someone taking advantage of him, especially since Ludwig is already trying to do that.”</p><p>“I can assure you that my feelings are quite genuine,” he admitted, hoping that his words might help sooth whatever worries she had.</p><p>“Oh believe me, I can tell,” she teased, giggling behind her hand when she noticed Hubert’s embarrassed blush return. “And, if it makes you feel better, I think Ferdinand likes you too.”</p><p>“Does he now?” Hubert questioned, frowning. “And how can you tell?”</p><p>Before the woman could answer, Ferdinand came bouncing back in, a grin plastered on his face. “I told you I would be quick!”</p><p>“Welcome back, dear,” Clara greeted. “Hubert and I were just talking.”</p><p>“Ah, I hope she didn’t tell you any embarrassing stories while I was gone.”</p><p>“No she did not,” he answered. “But now you have me curious.”</p><p>“I can tell you later when Ferdinand needs to prepare his pegasus for the trip back-”</p><p>“The teasing I expect from my mother, but you as well Hubert?” Ferdinand said, dramatically falling into his chair next to him. “At least Alexander would never betray me like this.”</p><p>“You’d ought to tell him about the time the young master was training with Lord Maurice down by the beach,” the older servant--Alexander, Hubert realized--said, walking in with a tray of wine. “That’s always a good one.”</p><p>“You too?!”</p><p>“Forgive me, young master,” Alexander said, not sounding apologetic at all, much to Clara’s amusement as she gave a hearty laugh. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I must continue with my other duties for the afternoon.”</p><p>“Everyone around me is a traitor…” Ferdinand pouted, bottom lip protruding out. Hubert found it cute how easy it was to tease Ferdinand, a sentiment that the rest of the household seemed to share if Clara and Alexander’s reactions were to go by.</p><p>“What are those flowers for, Ferdinand?” Clara asked, gesturing to the garland of flowers wrapped around Ferdinand’s neck. It looked like the same ones Hubert saw Ferdinand working on when he arrived at the flower field. Seeing them up close, Hubert could tell which flowers were carefully chained together to create the garland.</p><p>The gardenias were the most prominent flower in the garland, the majority of it made up of the white flower. Thrown into the mix were also yellow acacias, yellow daffodils, blue violets, pink carnations. From Hubert’s own limited knowledge of flowers, he could tell it was a nice arrangement, carefully planned out for its intended purpose.</p><p>“Ah w-well, it was just for fun,” Ferdinand explained, stuttering a bit at his mother’s question, much to Hubert’s confusion. Turning to face him, Ferdinand took the garland off and held it out for Hubert. “I’d like you to have it! As an apology for Elizabeth’s earlier behavior.”</p><p>Unsure of what to say, Hubert thanked the amber haired man and placed the garland around his neck, much like Ferdinand had worn it before. For whatever reason, the action caused Ferdinand’s eyes to widen in surprise, a faint blush appearing on his face.</p><p><i>‘Odd reaction,’</i> Hubert thought, lifting the garland a bit to look at the flowers more carefully. Sneaking a glance at Clara, he noticed that the woman’s amused expression never left as she smiled at the two of them.</p><p>Hubert heard Ferdinand mutter something about going to check on something in the stables quickly before he left the room in a haste.</p><p>Clara chucked, causing Hubert to narrow his eyes suspiciously at her. “Yes?”</p><p>“You wanted to know how I know that my son likes you, yes?” She asked, ignoring his question. When Hubert nodded, she got up and walked over to the chair her son had previously occupied, eyes never straying from the garland of flowers around his neck. Pointing down at it, she said, “That’s how I know.”</p><p>“I’m not sure I follow,” Hubert said, frowning in confusion.</p><p>“I’ll give you a hint,” she whispered, a patient smile on her face as she leaned in. “Pink carnations tend to mean affection.”</p><p>She walked away then, giggling loudly at the flush that spread across Hubert’s face at that moment.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>FYI the <a href="https://twitter.com/ferdibertgang/status/1248704229939740672">Ferdinand and Hubert Birthday Bash starts tomorrow!</a> Can't wait to celebrate with all the content that'll get made! &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Flying high through the skies.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I'm going to repeat myself with this but Aerith's theme is really good to write to.... But I could be biased. (I'm still processing the FF7R ending btw. Just had to put that out there--)</p><p>Anyways, I just want to say thank you again for all the kudos and comments! ;;; They mean a lot to me!! &lt;3 Now onto the actual chapter!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ferdinand returned from his task with confidence to his steps and an inviting grin on his face. He did, however, take in the scene before him with a puzzled look on his face. He shot a questioning look towards Hubert, who tried to temper the embarrassed flush from spreading across his face further.</p><p>“Is something the matter?” Ferdinand asked, brows furrowed. “Did I miss something?”</p><p>“Nothing at all, dear,” Clara answered, shooting a knowing smile in Hubert’s direction. She was a bold one, he’d give her that. Most people were too scared of him to tease him like this. Suddenly, she got up from her seat. “While I would like to stay and continue chatting, I’m afraid your grandfather would be displeased if I kept him waiting any longer.”</p><p>Hubert heard the bitterness in her voice. His brief encounter with the man hadn’t been pleasant either, so he could only imagine how it must be for the rest of his family. “Understandable. I’m afraid I must depart as well.”</p><p>“So soon?” Ferdinand asked. Hubert could hear the disappointment and part of him wanted to take the words back.</p><p>“Hubert’s a busy man,” Clara said, shooting him a discrete look. “He has his own duties to attend to, dear.”</p><p>Hubert could tell that Ferdinand wasn’t pleased, but nodded in understanding. “Then allow me to accompany you!”</p><p>“What?” Hubert asked, eyes momentarily widening.</p><p>“Allow me to escort you! I’m sure it will be much quicker to travel by pegasus than--”</p><p>“That’s not necessary,” Hubert interrupted quickly. “I wouldn’t want to be--”</p><p>“If you think you’ll be a burden then I can assure you that won’t be the case! I’m more than happy to help!”</p><p><i>‘I doubt the pegasus shares that sentiment,’</i> Hubert thought. For all he knew, the beast would kick him off as soon as he managed to get on her back.</p><p>Never mind the fear of heights. There was another reason why he liked living in the Underworld--he didn’t need to rely on any sort of winged beast to get around.</p><p>“I--”</p><p>“Lord Ferdinand,” a voice called, standing near the doorway. It was the stablehand from earlier, looking a little messier than before. “Your… pegasus is ready.”</p><p>“Excellent!” Ferdinand exclaimed. He turned to face Hubert, a radiant smile on his face. “Shall we be off?”</p><p>“Ferdinand--”</p><p>“Goodbye, Mother! I’ll be back heading back to Mt. Olympus after escorting Hubert.”</p><p>“Goodbye, dear,” Clara said. Hubert heard the amusement in her voice and felt mildly betrayed. What happened to trying to save him from Ferdinand? “And it was a pleasure having you here, Hubert.”</p><p>“...Thank you, my lady.”</p><p>“You’re welcome. Now, you might want to hurry up before he comes back in and drags you to the stables.” She chuckled, although judging by the serious glint in her eyes she wasn’t joking. She gave his arm a comforting squeeze before walking towards the hallway, back straight and shoulders tense. If Hubert didn’t know it, he would have thought the woman was preparing for battle instead of facing her father.</p><p>Briefly, he thought, he was grateful that he didn’t have parents to deal with.</p><p>Hubert sighed. There was no escaping this, was there? Looking back towards the way Ferdinand went, he could hear the pegasus neighing loudly. The stablehand that came to get them was looking something out of sight, nervously shifting in his spot and frowning profusely.</p><p><i>‘Lovely,’</i> Hubert thought. He stepped towards the entryway, causing the young man to flinch and shift away from him. The stablehand turned to face him, eyes wide and shoulders tense when he caught Hubert’s eyes. The young man bowed quickly and practically ran from Hubert, muttering something under his breath as he moved out of sight.</p><p>Not the rudest reaction Hubert has gotten. Definitely the hastiest though; he hasn’t seen someone run away that quickly from him since the earliest days of Hubert and Bernadetta knowing each other. The younger goddess was still skittish, but she wasn’t fleeing at the sight of him anymore, which the others considered a major improvement.</p><p>Stepping outside, Hubert winced when a ray of sunlight hit his eyes, momentarily blinding him. He covered his eyes and followed the sound of horses whining, hoping it would take him towards his intended destination. If anything, the smell of hay made it clear that he found where he needed to be.</p><p>“Ferdinand?” Hubert called, warily watching the horses. A chestnut one was watching him passively, eating its hay, while the white one next to it seemed to get agitated. Moving quickly away from the pair, Hubert called out again, “Ferdinand? Where are yo--”</p><p>Hubert stopped, taking in the sight before him. Ferdinand was standing next to the pegasus, cooing quietly at the winged beast with a fond look on his face. It was the same blissful expression he saw on the other man’s face when he first arrived at the flower field.</p><p>The rays of light were hitting Ferdinand in a way that made the amber-haired man look ethereal too. A waterfall of golden hair was cascading down his back, reflecting the sunbeams back. His tunic was also shimmering, the golden accessories dancing in the light.</p><p>Hubert paused, mesmerized at the sight. Perhaps, just this once, he won’t curse Dimitri and the sun for their existence.</p><p>“Hubert!” Ferdinand greeted. He stopped petting his pegasus’ nose, much to the beast’s displeasure. “Are you ready?”</p><p>“Yes,” Hubert answered without thought. Belatedly, he remembered that he just agreed to <i>fly on a pegasus</i>. A pegasus that was eyeing him in a way that almost imitated an apex predator.</p><p>“Excellent! Elizabeth should be better behaved now that she’s been taken care of, so I expect that the flight will go smoothly!”</p><p>While Hubert admired Ferdinand’s optimism, he knew he didn’t share it. Elizabeth seemed to disagree as well judging by her demeanor the closer Hubert got. He also didn’t miss the way Ferdinand snuck glances at his steed, soothingly petting her side.</p><p>“I can assure you that I have a way of returning home,” Hubert tried again. “You don’t need to--”</p><p>“Hubert, I insist that I do this. I feel awful for the way Elizabeth acted earlier. It was so unlike her!” Ferdinand snuck another glance at the pegasus, who met her master’s stare with an unapologetic look in her eyes. “And… well… I just want to make sure you return home safely.”</p><p>The last part was said so softly that Hubert didn’t almost hear him. He fought down the flush that wanted to break across his face after hearing such a genuine admission. Unsure of what he would end up blurting out, Hubert nodded and made his way closer to the pegasus. While the animal seemed unpleased with his choice, Hubert felt a fond smile creep on his face when he saw how happy the other was, excitedly checking over everything before nodding to himself.</p><p>“I’ll hop on first,” Ferdinand explained, already making his way up. “You can get on afterwards and hold onto my waist if you need to.”</p><p>Hubert gave a curt nod. That sounded acceptable enough, especially since Hubert didn’t have much experience maneuvering a pegasus. The closest he ever got to trying to make a beast go where he wanted was Cerberus, but the monstrous dog still preferred to stay near the gates of the Underworld and warding away anyone that tried coming in unannounced. Somehow that didn’t stop Claude from sneaking in, but Hubert had a feeling the messenger god was bribing the three-headed dog.</p><p>Once Ferdinand was secured on the back of the pegasus, Hubert made his way up. He did it carefully, trying not to provoke Elizabeth’s wrath. It helped that Ferdinand kept whispering soothing words in his steed’s ear, distracting the pegasus from his presence however momentarily it was.</p><p>Luckily, Hubert was able to maneuver himself on the pegasus’ back without getting bucked off. There was the issue of Ferdinand’s hair being in his face for a moment, but he managed to keep it away for the time being. Winding his arms around Ferdinand’s waist, he gave the amber-haired man a squeeze to let him know that he was ready to go.</p><p>“Let’s fly!” Ferdinand commanded, nudging his pegasus towards the cliffs. The beast took off immediately, jumping off the side and beginning their flight through the air.</p>
<hr/><p>“So which way is it to the Underworld?” Ferdinand yelled, glancing back at him. “I’m afraid I don’t know how to get there.”</p><p>“I can guide us,” Hubert said, pursing his lips. The mantra of ‘don’t look down’ repeated over and over in his head. It wouldn’t do well for him to throw up on the side of a pegasus, let alone in front of Ferdinand. “Go south of Corinth. The entrance is located in Lerna, near the Alcyonian Lake.”</p><p>“Lerna?” Ferdinand repeated, sounding surprised. “I hadn’t realized you were so close by!”</p><p>Hubert grunted, holding onto Ferdinand tighter when the amber-haired man commanded the pegasus to head south. She took a sharp turn, causing even Ferdinand to make a surprised noise at that.</p><p>“Perhaps we can visit each other more often!” Ferdinand sounded absolutely giddy at the prospect, which caused Hubert’s cheeks to heat up. How fortunate that Ferdinand couldn’t see it from his angle.</p><p>“Won’t that be the case anyways,” Hubert muttered, earning a hum from Ferdinand to continue. “You’re going to marry the Lord of the Underworld, yes?”</p><p>Hubert almost regretted the question when he saw how Ferdinand’s shoulders tensed briefly before slumping down. “Ah, I suppose that is true.” Ferdinand said, sounding a little far off. “What you said about him… That was all true, yes?”</p><p>“Of course,” Hubert answered, anxiety creeping up through his system. “I promise, Ferdinand, that the Lord of the Underworld would treat you well.”</p><p>That was an understatement if anything. Hubert would treat him like the precious being he was; lavish him with all the jewels found in the Underworld and all the love he could give. Ferdinand had stolen his breath away the first time they met and he could only hope that those feelings could be conveyed through his actions and words. While he had a hard time expressing his thoughts and feelings through words, he would make sure to let Ferdinand know just how much he means to him.</p><p>He couldn’t, however, muster up the courage to say all of that, let alone say who he really was.</p><p>Hubert was snapped out of his thoughts by the deep sigh that Ferdinand gave. “I’m going to trust you,” Ferdinand said softly. The words were almost unheard over the wind sweeping around them. “I really want to trust you, Hubert.”</p><p>“And you can,” he said softly back.</p><p>“Good,” Ferdinand said, glancing back and smiling at him. “Well, I know for certain then what my decision is.” Ferdinand chuckled. “I ought to tell Lady Rhea before I run into my father. No doubt this news will upset him greatly.”</p><p>Hubert snorted at the seemingly delighted tone in Ferdinand’s voice. Not that he could <i>blame</i> him. The God of the Harvest was an unpleasant man to be around and Flames know how it must be to deal with the man on a more semi-regular basis like Ferdinand does.</p><p>“Yes, Ludwig <i>is</i> going to be upset, isn’t he?” Hubert asked. He pictured the upset look on the older man’s face and couldn’t help but smirk. “I can only imagine the look on his face when he receives the news.”</p><p>“I’ll be sure to tell you the next time I see you,” Ferdinand said cheerfully. “Maybe I’ll commission Ignatz for a small painting of the moment to show you…”</p><p>Hubert couldn’t help but laugh. “I certainly wouldn’t object.”</p><p>A comfortable silence settled over the pair as they continued south. The clouds acted as a cover for them, keeping sailors or travelers from seeing the pair fly over. Given Hubert’s insistence on wearing dark clothing, he would be the easiest to spot should any humans look up and see them when the cloud cover broke.</p><p>Eventually, Ferdinand seemed to catch sight of something and commanded the pegasus to begin their descent. Hubert took a moment to bravely look down and saw that they were, indeed, making their way towards the shoreline of the Alcyonian Lake. If Hubert looked close enough, he could see a lone boat resting near the dock of the shoreline.</p><p>“Here we are,” Ferdinand said, stepping off the pegasus once they landed. He extended his hand out for Hubert to grab, helping him slide off the pegasus with ease. Hubert observed as a full-body shiver overtook the other god, his face scrunching up in displeasure. “Ah, the atmosphere here is…” He started, trailing off as he looked around. His eyes settled on the boat docked, raising an eyebrow at the tall man waving casually at them. “Um.”</p><p>“Hey there, boss!” The man greeted and Hubert repressed the urge to groan. “Who’s this?”</p><p>“Balthus,” Hubert said, turning to glare at the man. He missed the way Ferdinand’s brow furrowed in confusion. “What are you doing here?”</p><p>“Just doing my job,” Balthus answered, casually twirling one of the oars of the boat. “You know, ferrying souls to the entrance of the Underworld and down the River Styx?”</p><p>“Obviously,” Hubert snapped, pinching the bridge of his nose. “I meant what are you doing <i>here</i>?”</p><p>“Yuri said something about you arriving soon,” Balthus answered, casually bringing his arms above his head. “So I figured I would give you a lift to the entrance.”</p><p>“I see.” Well, he was going to have a chat with Yuri later about this and any meddlesome snooping. “Very well. I’ll be stepping on soon.”</p><p>“Don’t let me keep you from your boyfriend,” Balthus drawled, a slight smirk on his face. “I’d hate to be that guy, you know?”</p><p>“Bathus,” Hubert hissed. The man raised his hands up in surrender, but the smirk was there in full force now.</p><p>Groaning, Hubert turned his attention back to Ferdinand and paused, seeing the confused look on the other man’s face at the interaction. “Ignore him, he’s a nuisance.”</p><p>Ferdinand’s lips quirked up for a moment before settling into a friendly smile. “I’m happy to see you’ll be in good company though.”</p><p>“I believe our definitions of ‘good company’ are quite different,” Hubert snarked, earning a laugh from Ferdinand. “Nevertheless, thank you for accompanying me here. The ride was… pleasant.”</p><p>“You’re most welcome!” Ferdinand exclaimed, preening from the gratitude. “I suppose I will be seeing you quite soon.”</p><p><i>‘You have no idea,’</i> Hubert thought. “Yes. Safe travels, Ferdinand.”</p><p>“Thank you!” Then, Ferdinand turned to Balthus and gave the man a quick nod. “Since I cannot escort Hubert to the gates of the Underworld myself, I hope that you’ll keep him safe.”</p><p>“No worries. It kind of my job,” Balthus answered, tacking on a wink at the end. “I’ll keep bossman here safe.”</p><p>Something flashed in Ferdinand’s eyes, disappearing as quickly as it came. But Ferdinand seemed pleased with Balthus’ answer regardless. Giving one last goodbye, Ferdinand hopped back on his pegasus and took off towards the sky--back in the direction of Mt. Olympus. Hubert watched him go, waiting until he couldn’t see Ferdinand’s amber locks billowing through the air once the man entered the cloud cover again. </p><p>Sighing, he returned his attention to Balthus, narrowing his eyes at the amused expression on the older man’s face. “What?”</p><p>“Nothing, nothing,” Balthus answered, a playful grin on his face. “Just thinking that Yuri might be right after all.”</p><p>“About what?” Hubert asked, still glaring at the ferryman as he stepped into the boat.</p><p>“Just the future,” Balthus answered cryptically. “Say, do you think flowers can actually grow down there?”</p><p>“You have seen Elysium, right?”</p><p>“Well yeah,” Balthus started, scratching the back of his head. “But that’s different. Whatever, I’m pretty sure it was just Yuri trying to wax some poetry into his readings again or something.”</p><p>Hubert hummed, but didn’t bother answering any further. Flowers hardly growed, let alone lived, outside of the Elysian Fields--the earth of the Underworld sucked up the plant’s life force before the roots had a chance to ingrain themselves.</p><p>Perhaps Ferdinand’s presence would help change that, but for now Hubert had other matters to attend to. He still needed to find a suitable stone for the engagement ring being crafted for Ferdinand.</p><p>Funny that Ferdinand mentioned Ignatz earlier because he hoped that the other man wouldn’t see the ring being worked on in the studio by Raphael as well.</p><p><i>‘Soon,’</i> Hubert thought as he sailed along the River Styx. Soon the Underworld would welcome its newest ruler and Hubert hoped that Ferdinand’s reaction earlier to being near the lakeshore wouldn’t set the tone for the rest of his stay in the Underworld.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I thought I'd stick this here at the end, but I realized earlier this week that Ferdinand's birthday actually falls on a Thursday, which is, uh, usually when I update this fic. Because I'm not sure how long said fic is going to turn out to be, along with the other two Ferdibert Birthday Bash fics I have planned, I think it's probably best that I hold off on updating this next Thursday. Sorry! I just want to prevent as much burn out for myself as possible when it comes to writing.</p><p>There's definitely going to be an update on May 7th though!</p><p>Anyways, thank you for reading! See you next time! &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this! &lt;3<br/>You can also come talk to me over <a href="https://twitter.com/pandabuddha1">@pandabuddha1</a> on Twitter about Ferdibert and Fire Emblem in general! &lt;3</p></blockquote></div></div>
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